1. For the emancipation of slaves without the consent of
their owners; or without paying them, before such emancipation,
a full equivalent for such slaves so emancipated;
and,

2. To prevent bona-fide immigrants to this State, or actual
settlers therein, from bringing from any of the United
States, or from any of their Territories, such persons as
may there be deemed to be slaves, so long as any persons
of the same description are allowed to be held as slaves by
the laws of this State.

They shall have power to pass laws--

1. To prohibit the introduction into this State of any
slaves who may have committed any high crime in any
other State or Territory;

2. To prohibit the introduction of any slave for the purpose
of speculation, or as an article of trade or merchandise;

3. To prohibit the introduction of any slave, or the offspring
of any slave, who heretofore may have been, or
who hereafter may be, imported from any foreign country
into the United States, or any Territory thereof, in contravention
of any existing statute of the United States;
and,

4. To permit the owners of slaves to emancipate them,
saving the right of creditors, where the person so emancipating
will give security that the slave so emancipated shall
not become a public charge.

It shall be their duty, as soon as may be, to pass such
laws as may be necessary--

1. To prevent free negroes and mulattoes from coming
to and settling in this State, under any pretext whatsoever;
and,

2. To oblige the owners of slaves to treat them with humanity,
and to abstain from all injuries to them extending
to life or limb.

Sec. 27. In prosecutions for crimes, slaves shall not be
deprived of an impartial trial by jury and a slave convicted
of a capital offence shall suffer the same degree of punishment,
and no other, that would be inflicted on a free white
person for a like offence; and courts of justice, before
whom slaves shall be tried, shall assign them counsel for
their defence.

Sec. 28. Any person who shall maliciously deprive of life
or dismember a slave, shall suffer such punishment as
would be inflicted for the like offence if it were committed
on a free white person.

Thorpe, Francis Newton, ed. The Federal and State Constitutions, Colonial Charters, and Other Organic Laws of the States, Territories, and Colonies Now or Heretofore Forming the United States of America. 7 vols. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1909.